Friction-clutch



2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

E. I. MASON. PRIGTION- CLUTCH.l

No. 465,596. Patented Dec. 22', 1891.

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UNITED STATES 4PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY I. MASON, OF OUYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO.

FRlCTlON-CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,596, dated December22, 1891.

Application fled April 11, 1889. Serial No. 306,830. (No model.)

A and useful Improvement in Friction-Clutch es,

of which the following is a specification.

This inventionl relates to lthat class of clutches in which acylindrical fiange is grasped by two jaws, which move inversely andradially upon a clutch-arm. Examples of this class are shown in LettersPatent of the United States numbered 383,104, dated May 22, 1888, issuedto Crowell, No. 367,856, dated August 9, 1887, to Slayton, and No.808,872, dated December 9, 1884, to Brock.

This invention relates to the mechanism by which the motions of theshifting-sleeve are communicated to the jaws for operating the clutch;and it consists in the interposition of an inclined surface between aprojection from the sleeve and a bearing connected with each jaw,whereby when the projection from the sleeve is forced forward the jawswill be forced toward each other.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the axis ofthe pulley and clutch. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the samethrough the line 1 1 of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are similar sections ofmodifications.

Similar lettersof reference indicate similar parts in all the figures.

a is the shaft.

b is the pulley, loose upon the shaft.

c is the iiange, cylindrical to and concentric with the shaft.

d is the shifter-sleevee is a hub keyed fast to the shaft, from whichproject radially the clutch-arms f. j

g and g are the jaws, which are formed, as

Y shown, so as to grasp the cylindrical Iiange upon the inside andoutside thereof, and which are arranged to slide in guideways on theclutch-arm, being held thereon, preferably, by a tongue-andgrooveconnection. The friction-surfaces of these jaws are preferably facedwith wood.

h is a rocker, which is pivoted at h to the clutch-arm in the middle andat either end to one of the jaws, sufficient play being introducedaround the pivots to permit of the free reciprocation of the jaws intheir guideways. A function which this rocker performs is to insure acorresponding motion of the two jaws in inversedirections andcommunicate the centrifugal force of leach jaw tothe other, so

that the two forces, acting in opposite directions, will moreor lesscounterbalance each other, depen ding upon the respective weights of thejaws.

I will now describe the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2. c' is a pieceprojecting forward from the shifter-sleeve d. This projecting pieceextends through a hole out through the stem of each jaw and through theclutch-arm. On the lower side of this projecting piece, where it passesthrough the stem of jaw g, it is provided with an inclinedbearing-surface- Another inclined bearing-surface, but inclined in theopposite direction, is provided on theupper side of the piece t' whereit passes through the stem of jaw g. j Below thelowerinclined bearing-surface of the projecting piece i the stem of jawgis providedwithabearing-surface resting against said inclined bearing, whichbearingsurface is preferably provided with a roller j to reduce thefriction. The stein of the jaw g' is provided with a correspondingbearingsurface resting against the inclined bearing upon the upper sideof the projecting piece i', whichv bearing-surface is preferablyprovided with a roller j to lessen the friction. Now it is evident thatthe forcing of the shifter-sleeve d forward in the direction `of thearrow 7c will cause the jaws to move inversely, so as to gripthe flange,and that mo- 'tion of the shifter-sleeve in the opposite di` rectionwill release the pressure upon the jaws, so that they may separateeither by the action of centrifugal force or by the operation of aspring, as Z. The separation or tendency to separate by the action ofcentrifugal force may be accomplished by having the outer jaw g of equalor greater weight with the inner jaw g', so that the greater distance ofthe center of gravity of the outer jaw from the center of the shaftwill, upon the rotation of the clutch, cause it to exert a greater cen`trifugal force than the inner jaw and therefore to move radiallyoutward, pushing at the same time the inner jaw radially inward, becauseof their being coupled together by the rocker. It is, however, desirablethat wear of the friction-surfaces, and to this end IDO thefriction-rollersj andy" may be mount-ed,

respectively, in the pieces m and m', each of which is located in a slotcut through the stem of its jaw. Each piece 'm and m is formed with anincline n n on the opposite side to the friction-roller, and in eachcase this incline is in contact with a corresponding incline upon thestern of the jaw, so that by sliding these inclines upon each other eachfriction-roller may be forced forward toward the projecting piece z.These inclines are moved and held in fixed positions by the screws 0 ando', projecting from them through slots in their respective jaw-stems, asshown, in the direction of the shifting-lever, Where the jam-nuts 19 andp upon the screws are Areadily accessible to the operator to adjust theposition of the pieces mand m. Now it is evident that by adjusting thepiecesm and m toward the right the jaws will be brought nearer togetherand that by adjusting them toward the left they will be moved fartherapart.

I will now describe the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In thiscase the projecting piece i extends, as before, through holes cutthrough the jaw-stems and clutch-arm but in this case the inclinedbearing-surfaces of the projecting piece t', instead of being locatedupon the exterior thereof, are located in a slot q, cut throughV thesame, the portion of the slot opposite to the jaw-stem g being inclinedin one direction, as shown, and that portion opposite the jaw-stem gbeing inclined in the opposite direction. Across the openingin thejaw-stem g is a shaft or bar r, mounted at opposite ends in the jaw,which passes through the slot q of the piece i. A corresponding shaft orrod r crosses the opening in jawstem g', and also passes through theslot q( Upon the shaft or rod o", where it passes through the slot q, ismounted a friction-roller s, and a corresponding friction-roller s ismounted upon the rod or shaft r where it passes through the slot q. Eachof these friction-rollers is in diameter nearly equal to the width'ofthe slot q, so that there is very little lplay in either directionbetween either friction-roller and the piece i.. Now it will be observedthat when the shifter-sleeve ismoved in thedirection of the arrow 7a thefrictionroller s will run upon the incline at the top of the slot q andforce the jaw g inward, whereas ,the friction-roller s will run upon theincline at the bottom of the slot q and force the jaw gf outward. On theother hand, when the shifter-sleeve is moved in the opposite directionthe two friction-rollers will run upon the inclines at the oppositesides of the slot q. and permit or produce the reverse movement of thejaws.

Although I have shown the inclined surfaces as being located upon theprojecting piece i and the friction-rollers as located upon thejaw-stems, I do not wish to beconiined to such relative arrangements ofthose parts, nor do I Wish to be confined to the employment offriction-rollers. l

It remains to provide meansfor adjustment to take up the wear of thefriction-surfaces, and for this purpose the ends of the shafts or rods7' r may be mounted in slots in the jawstems, so that by the use of theset-screwst t the rods or shafts fr r may be respectively adjusted toand from the shaft, so as to bring the jaws nearer together or fartherapart. y

I claim- Y In combination, the friction-lian ge cylindrical to theshaft, the inversely radially moving jaws adapted to grip said iiangeinside and out, the clutch-arm upon which said jaws move, the rocker bywhich one jaw is colnpelled to respond to the motions of the other, theshifting-sleeve7 and the piece projecting from the shifting-sleeve andhaving the inversely-inclined planes interposed between said piece andsaid jaws, respectively, Whereby said jaws are moved inversely by themovement of the shifting-sleeve, substantially as described.

Il. I` MASON. Witnesses:

ORLANDO WILcoX, H. J. STAMBAUGH.-

